Filed under: 2. Study Guide
Lectures form the single most important component of teaching. Both the giving of lectures and the taking of notes are acquired skills. You will find that different lecturers have (often markedly) different styles, but the principle concern of all lecturers is to provide you with the fundamentals of the subject in a manner that is readily understandable. This requires that it to be delivered clearly and at the right speed and is sufficiently structured to allow efficient note-taking. However, this is sometimes not as easy as it sounds, especially when complex subjects are being dealt with.
Taking Notes
You should try to take notes during the lecture; if you have already read the relevant sections of the textbook, it will greatly help you here. It is always a very good idea to look through your notes as soon after the lecture as possible: this allows you to assimilate information much better – it is not always easy to take notes and understand everything at the same time and to identify problem areas. Reading and discussion of lecture material with the aid of handouts, textbooks and other information and with the assistance of friends provides a very valuable way of understanding and remembering the subject. It is obviously essential to have a good understanding of each lecture before attending the next in the series since the lecturer will, quite reasonably, assume that you have attended and understood earlier lectures. Remember, your examinations at the end of the year are based on the content of your lectures and this may differ from the information given in the textbook. And it is likely that the lecturer will be the person who sets the relevant exam questions and marks them.
Problems
Problems will inevitably arise and these can be tackled in several ways. Firstly, lecturers should be happy to discuss any part of lectures with you. Secondly, laboratory classes can provide opportunities to discuss problems. Thirdly, material in all 3 years is generally covered in textbooks and lecturers may indicate which book(s) and which sections they recommend as background reading. Fourthly, you should be comfortable in asking any member of staff if you think they can help you.
Tackling Quizzes and Exams, Multiple choice questions (MCQs)
are set by most in examinations and often form a substantial component of written final exams. The most commonly used MCQ format is a stem question followed by four statements. Each year, students may unexpectedly fail written exams despite extensive preparation, not through lack of knowledge or intelligence, but simply because of poor exam technique. Candidates often find themselves leaving an MCQ exam completely unsure of how they have done. The way students approach MCQs, and their technique of answering, is important. The preparation required for an MCQ paper is different to that for an essay paper. For an essay paper, it is often possible to question spot commonly recurring topics and to plan your revision accordingly. But this is often not possible for MCQ examinations, in which the sheer quantity of questions tests a much broader range of the syllabus. One of the best ways of revising for MCQs is to read as widely around a subject as possible, concentrating less on memorizing hard facts and more on understanding basic principles and concepts. This will allow you to stand a greater chance of working out answers to MCQs from first principles.
If you can, try to work through previous MCQ papers as these will give you the best indication of the style of each particular examination. If there is a limited pool of questions, they may even be repeated in the exam. Some students find specialist MCQ books useful for practice, although it should be borne in mind that the question style and range of topics found in such books will often differ substantially from the specific exam to be taken. Always calculate the time available for each question before the exam and stick to that time strictly. Do not allow yourself to become delayed by any single question. Instead, answer the question using your first impression and mark the question with a star so you can return to it. After finishing your first run through all questions, you should then start a second run returning to those questions which you have starred giving them further consideration. When an examination paper consists of both MCQs and essays, it is helpful to read the essay questions before tackling the MCQs as this allows you to subconsciously plan the essay.
When faced with an MCQ that you are unsure about, a number of points can help you make an educated guess. Key words. An understanding and familiarity with the key words and phrases that commonly feature in MCQs is vital to maximizing your score (table). Questions which include absolute and sweeping statements such as never, always, or exclusively are generally false (because exceptions can be found to virtually any rule). Questions which include the keywords could, possible, or may are more often true than not (after all, anything is possible). Statistical statements. When a question states an exact statistic – for example, the five year mortality after a first myocardial infarction is 12.9% it is often false (as different studies will produce different figures). This general rule does not apply to less precise statistics – the five year mortality after a first myocardial infarct is greater than 5%. Unfamiliar information. If you encounter a question on a topic which you believe you have a good knowledge of, but the information stated is completely unfamiliar to you, then the chances are that it is false. (For example, if having revised myocardial infarcts you find an MCQ stating Colanss syndrome is a frequent sequelae of myocardial infarction you should answer false as you will not have heard of Colanss syndrome before). MCQs are often perceived as being inordinately difficult. But with a planned approach to revision, incorporating a general overview of the syllabus, and careful attention to technique, many questions can be confidently answered correctly and further marks gained by making educated guesses.
Essay questions
In general, students who score close to full marks have the following qualities in their essays: sound, thorough understanding and knowledge of the subject, in both breadth and depth with evidence of insight and original thought, and initiative in answering non-routine questions. In addition, essays also display excellent critical judgment in exposition or in advocating a viewpoint, with a high quality of structure and expression and with well chosen illustrative examples. Finally, they demonstrate a high level of technical competence, with very few mistakes of any kind.
Answering technique: read all the questions through rapidly, jotting down beside each question any pertinent facts or ideas which occur to you. Estimate the time that you will have for each question according to the relative difficulty and importance of all questions. Then keep track of your time so that you don’t spend too much time on any one question. Answer the easiest questions first and concentrate on answering one question at a time. Getting down working on something you can handle is the surest way to reduce your anxiety. Decide what kind of answer the question requires before you begin writing. Action verbs such as “illustrate”, “list”, “define”, “compare”, “trace”, “explain”, and “identify” require different approaches to answering. Before you start writing, make a brief, logical outline for your answer to ensure good organization and prevent careless omissions. It’s not how much you say but what you say and how well you say it that counts. Get down to business in your first paragraph and start with a direct response to the question. Your aim in answering most essay questions is to get down the maximum amount of point-earning information in the shortest possible time. Where appropriate, include factual details to support your answer. These impress your instructor by giving evidence that you really know what you are talking about. Write legible, complete sentences and paragraphs. Leave space after each question for additional information which may occur to you later. Re-read your answers – do they say what you intended? Correct all grammar and spelling errors. If you run out of time, outline the remaining information. And finally, do not summarize the essay in the last paragraph. You may wish to write a single concluding sentence or simply stop writing when you have completed your last point.
Nutrition and Performance
Though an area considered trivial, it can contribute significantly to your overall performance if not to maintain yourself in the pink of health so that you can function at your maximum during class. “Breakfast” means just that: break the overnight fast. Eating breakfast allows you to restock the energy stores that have been depleted overnight and begin the day with a tank full of the right fuel. Sending yourself to work or to school without breakfast is like trying to use a cordless power tool without ever recharging the battery. If you don’t refuel your body in the morning after an overnight fast, it has to draw fuel from its own energy stores until lunchtime. The stress hormones necessary to mobilize these energy reserves will leave you feeling irritable, tired, and unable to learn or behave well.
If you are not convinced, consider these studies results: 1) Breakfast eaters are likely to achieve higher grades, pay closer attention, participate more in class discussions, and manage more complex academic problems than breakfast skippers. 2) Breakfast skippers are more likely to be inattentive, sluggish, and make lower grades. 3) Breakfast skippers are more likely to show erratic eating patterns throughout the day, eat less nutritious foods, and give into junk-food cravings. They may crave a mid-morning sugar fix because they can’t make it all the way to lunchtime on an empty fuel tank.
An example of a quick breakfast fix: a smoothie blended drink of 2 cups of milk or soy or rice beverage, or 1 cup milk and 1 cup yogurt, 2 tsp. flax oil, 1 small frozen banana, cut up, 1/2 cup each of your favorite fruit, frozen (e.g. blueberries, strawberries, papaya) and 2 ice cubes if fruit is not frozen or if you want a lighter taste. In general, some examples of brain builders for the morning include avocados, bananas, lean beef, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, brown rice, brussel sprouts, cantaloupe, cheese, chicken, collard greens, eggs, flaxseed oil, legumes, milk, oatmeal, oranges, peanut butter, peas, potatoes, romaine lettuce, salmon, soybeans, spinach, tuna, turkey, wheat and yogurt.
On the other hand – some example of brain ‘busters’ include alcohol, artificial food colorings, artificial sweeteners, colas, corn syrup, frostings, high-sugar “drinks”, hydrogenated fats, junk sugars, nicotine and white bread. Having talked about breakfast, let’s tackle lunch since most of us will be in school through lunch on most days and it is very likely to have lectures scheduled immediately after. The key to the right lunch is – HOW NOT TO BE LETHARGIC AFTER LUNCH.
Ever wondered why your learning and behavior deteriorates after lunch? It’s because some foods perk up the brain while others put it to sleep. Here are some lunch tips: Have the right balance of proteins and carbohydrates. Protein foods which contain the amino acid tryptophan tend to sedate the brain, and protein foods containing the amino acid tyrosine wake up the brain. Eating a lot of carbohydrates with tryptophan containing foods increases their sedative effect. The carbohydrates trigger the release of insulin, which sends the amino acids that compete with tryptophan into muscle tissue. This allows more tryptophan to get into the brain. Serotonin production goes up and sluggishness follows. Fewer carbohydrates and calories with more protein, on the other hand, make the eater more alert after lunch. The amino acid that perks up the brain is tyrosine, found in seafood, turkey, tofu, legumes, and tuna. So, a salad of legumes with tuna, tofu, or turkey would be the ideal lunch.
Even the order in which you eat the food in your lunch can affect afternoon performance. Whether the brain will rev up or slow down depends on whether tyrosine or tryptophan gets into the neurotransmitters first. Eat the protein first, and you allow the amino acid, tyrosine, to wake up the brain. Then when you eat the carbohydrates, the tryptophan ushered into the brain by insulin will have less effect. So, if you want to wake up the brain, eat a high protein lunch and eat the protein before the carbohydrates; if you want the brain to relax, eat a high carbohydrate lunch and eat the carbohydrates before the protein. An example of a healthy lunch would be a tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, and a low-fat mayonnaise made with canola oil, a side salad, a piece of fruit, and a glass of milk. Where possible, skip dessert after lunch and let your daily dessert treat follow after dinner instead
